𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

📅 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

𝟓 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝟖: 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚 𝐌𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞

On this day, 5 August 1968, representatives of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for one of the most important peace conferences of the Nigerian Civil War.
Hosted under the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and facilitated by Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, the talks aimed to find a peaceful solution to a conflict that had already caused widespread suffering across Nigeria.
The Biafran delegation was led by Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, while the Federal Government was represented by Chief Anthony Enahoro. Nigeria’s Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, did not attend the conference in person.
Despite hopes that the meeting would end the war, the two sides remained divided over fundamental issues. The Federal Government insisted on preserving Nigeria’s unity, while Biafra maintained its position on self-determination and security. Without agreement on these core questions, the negotiations ended without a peace settlement.
Although the war continued until January 1970,

The Addis Ababa Conference remains one of the most significant diplomatic efforts made to resolve the conflict through dialogue rather than the battlefield.
History reminds us that wars are not fought only with weapons, they are also fought across negotiating tables, where difficult decisions can shape the future of nations.

📚 Want the complete story?
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Our Nigeria Untold Archive documentary edition explores the full story in detail, including:
Why the Addis Ababa Peace Talks were convened.
What Ojukwu and Chief Anthony Enahoro argued during the negotiations.
The role of Emperor Haile Selassie and the OAU.
Why the peace talks failed.
The historical significance of the conference.
Carefully researched sources, timelines, and historical analysis.
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